Automatic feeder.



1 B. Howe.` AUTOMATIC FEEDER.

. APPLICATION HLED FEB. 14. me.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. l

J. B. HOWE. 'AUTOMATIC FEEDER. `APPLICATION FILED FEB. I4. i918.

Patented Jan. 7,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

o, Josnrn nnown, or woncnsrnn,

or NEw'roNmssAcnUsErTs, am: .101m n.

- used as an adjunct to feeding 216,373-, dated June 10,1879,

ing, cotton ber,

shown in said A f a machine of the type of said Bramwell UNTED To allwhom; t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOSEPH B. Hows, a citizen of the of Worcester, andState of `Massachusetts, new and useful Improvements in AutomaticFeeders, of whichthe following is a specication.' v

This invention/l relates to an automatic feeder for delivering fibrousmaterials to preparing machinery used in various textile industries.While the invention is not limited in its application to .y theVhandling of any particular kind of ber, nor to the delivery of the berto any particular type of preparing machinery v especially intended forthe feeding and delivery of cotton .waste and other cotton ber to a'cleaning machine, which removes for-y eign mattenand leaves the cleanedber in condition for subsequent mill processes. y.The invention' -isalso well adapted to "be machines of atnt of the Bramlwell2 N o.comprismgg a casingin which the brous material is deposited, and a spike"apron in the county ofv Worcester the ty e shown in Letters Unitedp States tov W. C.

in the casing, by which the bers are elevated to the uiper part of thevcasingV and thence delivere upon a travel'- mg apron which carriesthematerial to the machme by which it is to be next treated. i y heinvention will therefore be illusvtrated as embodied in a feeder fordeliversuch as low gradecotton or waste, from a machine of the generaltype Bramwell patent mg machine, but it will beunderstoodthat it r1s notto such particular environmail: oil use' i dr 1n h -t e accompan awingsw 'c ymwdimellt of the in- Figure 1 isa side view, partly inlongitudinal section, showin the feeder, part of a 'cleaning'.machmaanpart of the casing of Cnt with which the feederV is associa jSpecication ot Letters Patent. Application led February 14,

United States, and resident l have mvented it is nevertheless chine isapron 8 stretched HARWOOD, 0F BBOOKLINE, MASSA- .auromaric' rEEDEn.

Patented Jan. '7, 1919.

1918. Serial No. 217,220.

Fig. 2 is a, plan view of the forwardend of the feeder on an enlargedscale; l Fig. 3 is a side elevation vof the feeder on an enlarged scale;and

Figs. 4' and 5 are fragmentary views, partl in elevation and partly insection, on a stil larger scale, illustrating two ositions of thepusher-'hereinafter describe represents part of the casing of amachineof the type shown in said Bramwell patent, adapted to deliver the`stockv downward through an openingiln tihe blottofmhoff ve etaso t isthe overhangingpart a. machine form 'no part of the present inventionand need not be further described.

B representspart of a cleaning machine to which the lstock is to befed.' This maprovlded at its intake end with a feed plate or table b,upwardly curved at its forwardy end as shown at c,and a feed roll dpreferably iiuted, arranged above the feed plate band closeto the curvecl The lickerin e, brush-roll f, condenser screen rollg, housing it, andother parts of the machine (not shown) formv in themselves no part ofthe present invention and require I "no further description. liftingbelt, usually termed 'a' The automatic feeder'between the casing A andcleaning massacnusmrrskassreivon l'i'o SYDNEY 'n.mwoon,

the cleaning machine B, comprises Ithe two side frames 1, secured to thesides l of'the casing A,- one on eachside. The frames larel providedwith means for limited vertical adjustment consisting'of the slots 2,-and bolts 3. A conveyer vbelt or slatapron 4 extends between suitablerollers 5 .and which are supported'at their-ends by journals on the'side frames 1. The apron 4 Iis driven in any conyenient manner, Aandits tension may be regulated by adjusting the roller 6, forward orbackward by means v of adjusting screws 7'.

ron 4 is a preer belt or tween rollers 9 and 10. The tension of apron 8is regulated by ad- -justingscrews 11 which are adapted to adjust theroller 10'toward and fro/m roller 9. The apron 8 is arranged at an angleto apron 4, thus providing a space between the two Above the slat-abelts .which is -wide at the entrance to rea line close to theaccommodates itself to any ceive the incoming stock, and convergestoward the delivery end yto press the stock into a comparatively thinflat mat. The bearings of roll 9 are movable on the side frames 1 towardand from the apron 4, and compression springs 12 acting through rods 13normally press roller 9j andthe corresponding endv of apron 8 towardapron 4. The stock is passed under yielding pressure between'the twoaprons, while the apron 8^ lumps orv inequalities inthe stock. The apron8 is driven'at the same speed as apron 4 through gears 14 and 15 iied torollers 5 and 9 respectively.

1,6 is an adjustable, inclined slide, extending from side to side of thefeeder, and from delivery end of the apron 4 downward toward, butterminating short of, the feed plate b. The slide 16 is supported bybrackets 17, 17, one ateach end, which are fastened by slot and boltconnections to the side frames 1, 1, thus providing means for adjustingvthe slide 16 toward and from the end of apron 4.

18 is areciprocating pusher plate, preferably curved or scoop-like inform, so that the lower forward part extends approximately parallel tothe feed plate 1),.while the upper part extends behind and approximatelyparallel to the slide 16. The pusher 18 has on its rear or under side apair of ears 19, each pivotally connected by a link 20 to the forwardend of an arm 21 bolted to o'ne of the side frames 1.. A pair of actu-.ating rods 22 are pivotally connected to the ears 19. below the pointsat links 20 are pivoted.

On the underl side of rods 22 areca'm surfaces 23 which, ride on rollers24 journaled on the insidesof arms 21. The cams 23 are so shaped that asthe rods22 are reciprocated endwiseand the pusher 1 8 is swung onv links20 the forward edge of pusher plate 18 will be held close to,`but clearof the feed plate b in all positions ofthe pusher, and will be guided ina path substantially parallel to the feed plate.l rods 22 arereciprocated by a rock shaft 25, 'ournaled between frame.. 1, througharms 26 fast on the rock shaft and pivoted to rods 22. The rock shaft is'in turn actuated by .a rod 27 which. is connected at one end to whichthe an arm 28 fast onthe rock shaft and at the other end toa wheel oreccentric- (not shown) on the outside of casing A. Yielding connectionsin the' form of compression springs 29 and 30 are provided on rods 22and 27 respectively so will -not be damaged by any lobstruction whichmight interfere with the free movement of the pusher The space throughwhich the stock drops from the delivery end a of the casing little or nonatural coherence,

The

"to swing the pusher that the apparatus 18 in either direction.

meager to the apron 4 of the feeder is inclosed by a housing 31 toprevent the escape of any of the stock, or of falls into the feeder.

In operation thecotton waste or other fiber is deliveredv from theoverhanging outlet end a of, the the housing-31 upon presser apron 4 thestock passes -feed table b. The

8. From the end of apron down the slide 16 to the reciprocating pusher18 moving in and out under the slide 16 forces, pushes, or tucks thefibrous material at a pressure determined by spring 30 under and intothe nip of the flutted feed roll d, where it is nipped or seized by therevolving feed roll d andpcar'ried betweenl the feed roll and the feedplate, and thence delivered by the feed rollinto. the cleaning machine.

A stream or lap of brous material, of such as'the picker or card wastesof inferior the described means can be fed withy certainty at the ratedetermined by the speedpof roll d, without depending on the tensilecontinuity of -the stream between the carrier 4 and the feed rolltheaction of the pusher 18 insuring uniform and forcible operative Contactof the material with the feed rollindependently of the draft of thefeedroll at a distance from its nip, and independently of movement'of thematerial toward the roll pusher 18, together'wi'th their immediatelycasing A, falls through. the traveling Slat-apron` v4, and is carriedforward by said Slat-apron. and pressed and vcompacted by the yielding'lint or dust as the stock cottons, by 4 associated actuating mechanisms,constitute a unitary, self-contained feeding device, independent ofeither the feed .casing A 4or the cleanin machine B, but capable ofbeing ing` A, and of being placed in coperative relationship. with boththe casing A and the machine B. l e.

to deliver a mass of fibrous material upon the feed table, a a .pair ofpivotally mounted links on which ied to or removed from the cas- 1. Incombination with the feed table and Afeed roll of a cleaning machine orother preparing machine, a carrier apron adapted pusher above the feedtable, A

the pusher is pivotally supported, a rrec1proeating rod pivotallyconnected to the pusher forward vand backward 4on said links, and .meansincluding a cam to impart vertical motionl to .said rod to guide theforward, end of the pusher in a pathwsubstantially parallel v to t thefeed table. l

2. In combination with the-feed table and feed roll of' a preparingmachine, a carrier apron adapte leaning machine or other* ed to delivera mass of fibrous material u n the feed table, a pusher above the feedta le, a pair of pivotally mounted links on w the pusher 'is pivotallysupported, a recipro-, eating rod pivotally connected to the usher toswing the pusher forward and bac ard on said links, a cam on the-"rodtoimpart vvertical motion to said rod` during itis recitprocating motionto guide the -forwar end o .the pusher in a path substantially parallelto the feed table, and a cam roller with which said cam coperates.

3. In combination Vwith the feed table d --1;h feed roll of -a cleaningmachine or other` preparingmachine, a carrier apron adapted to deliver amass of brou'smaterial u on the. feed table, an inclinedv slide. lea gfrom the delivery end of the carrier apron,

toward, the feed table, and a reciprocating pusher between ,the loweredge of the slide vand the feed table adapted to move themate-rialldelivered from theslide into position to be seized by the .feed roll.

4. In combination with the feed table and feed roll of a cleaningmachine or other preparing machine, a carrier apron adapted to l delivera mass of fibrous material upon the feed table, an inclined slideleading from the delivery end of the carrier apron toward the feedtable, a pusher betweenthe .lower edge 'of the slide and the feed table,and means to reciprocate the pushervfrom a retracted position behind thepath ofthe material moving from the slide :to the feed table, to aforward position adapted to push the material into position to be seized.by the feed roll. Y

i5. In lcombination -with the f ecd Ytable andfeed roll of 'a cleaningmachine or other preparing` machina/a carrier 'apron adapted to deliver'a mass of fibrous material uponthe feed table, an inclined; slideleading from the delivery en`d of the carrier apron toward the feedtable, a curved pusher,"the lower part of which extends'underneath thebottom edge of the slide and in proximity to thefeedtable and the upperpartv of which extends upward behind the slide, and means to reciprocatethe pusher.

6. In combination with the feed :table and feed rll of a cleaningmachine or other preparing machine, a carrier apron'adapted to deliver amass of fibrous-'material upon inclined slide leading from' the feedtable, an

the delivery end of the carrier apron toward the feedvtable, ra curvedpusher, the.

lower part of which extendsunderneath the bottom edge ofthe slide and inproximity to the feed table andthev upperpart of which extendsupwardbehind the slide, 'a

pair of pivotally mounted links on which "thepusher is pivotallysupported, and means to swin the pusher backward and forward onsaidinks.

7. 'In combination lwith the feed table and' feedroll of a cleaningmachine or other preparing machine, a carrier apron adapted to deliver'amass of fibrous material upon the delive wardthe eed table, a curvedpusher, the lower part of which extends underneath the bottom edge. ofthe slide and in proximity A to the feed 'table andthe u per part Yofvwhich extends upward behin the slide, a l'pair of pivotally mountedv epusher is pivotally supported, means to swin the pusher backward andforward on sai links underneath the' slide, and means to guide theforward end of the pusher in a predetermined path above the feedgtable.4

s. A feeding device of' the characfef de# the feed table, an inclinedslide leading from end of the carrier apron Atolinks on which coperatingwith the carrier apron to press;

and compact the material before it is delivered to the? slide andpusher.

` 9; A feeding device of the character described clined slide leadingfrom the. delivery end comprising a carrier apron, an in.

of .the carrier apron, a pusher adapted to lreciprocate underneathv theslide, and a presser apron coperatingl with the carrier apron 'to pressand compact the' material A before it is delivered to the vslide andpusher. 10. A feeding device of the character described comprising-acarrier apron, an inclined slide leading from the delivery end of thevcarrier apron, a pusher adaptedtoreciprocate underneath the slide, and-`a presser apron,the intake end of which is.

spaced farther from the carrier a ron than the delivery end, coperatingwit the cartrier apron to ress and compact the mate,-

rial before it-.ls pusher. l v

' 11. A feeding device ofthe character de scribed clined slide leadingfrom the deliyery end yielding presser apron coperating with the carrlerapron' to press and com act the `madelivered vto the slide and'comprising a carrier apron, an `interial before itis delivered to t eslide and pusher.

.12. A feeding device-of the character de'- I scribed comprising a pairof'side frames, a carrier apron'mounte between said frames, an inclinedslide leading from the deliveryend of the' carrier the forward ends lcfsaid side'frames, and a reciprocating pusher carried A by said sideframes, vthe whole constitutin a self-con-l secured as aunit to thecasmgor frame of. a machine,

tained mechanism adapted to apron and supported by.

scribed comprising a, pair ofside frames, a,`

carrier apron mounted between said frames,

a presser apron mounted between said sidev 5 frames, an inclined slideleading from the delivery end of the carrier. apron and supported` bythe forward ends of said side frames, a, reciprocating pusher carried bymeme?" l said side frames, andmeans to actuate the pusher, tainedmechanism adapted to be secured as a unit to thel casing or frame of a,machine.

Signed by me at Boston,` Massachusetts, this '9th day of February, 1918.I

l JOSEPHBHOWE.' .d

the whole constituting a-'self-conl0

